The present invention is directed to a flexible film cassette for supporting an x-ray film outside of a patient's mouth. The cassette is used with an x-ray diagnostic installation or device which has an x-ray tube which is mounted in a housing and has an applicator projecting from the housing which is capable of being inserted into the patient's mouth. The applicator and cassette have coacting means for supporting the cassette on the applicator.
A flexible film cassette, which is used with an x-ray diagnostic installation or device which has an x-ray tube which is supported in the housing and has an applicator protruding from the housing for insertion into the mouth of a patient, is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,193,002. In this patent, the cassette on a periphery has a supporting means which may either be a loop or a partial aperture for engaging a portion of the applicator and for positioning the cassette relative thereto.
With the provision of a support means for positioning the film cassette relative to the applicator which is inserted into the patient's mouth, it is possible to conduct either upper jaw or lower jaw radiographs from the standard radiograph as well as half side radiograph in a simple and time savings manner.
In order to achieve a good image quality, it is important that the focus of the radiation source, the radiation exit window of the applicator, the subject, and the x-ray film or the film cassette respectively are each in a position relative to one another which position is reproduceable to a great extent.
With known film cassettes, a good positioning of the film cassette on the applicator or on the patient's head is in deed possible. However, in the case of inexperienced handling, the attainment of the reproduceable radiograph with good image quality presents some problems.